Page 13 of Not Your Shoe Size

Ty walked back to his side of the table and picked up his wineglass. “I’m too old to do the expat thing.”

“Rubbish! Besides, in Paris, old is the new black.”

“Says who?”

“The internet. I bet we won’t look mismatched there at all. People will just think I’m your mistress.”

“They already do that.”

“Yeah, but in France you’ll get props instead of people assuming I was your nanny!”

Ty didn’t smile. Sometimes he could handle jokes about his and Kate’s age gap, but with fifty looming, his sense of humour on the subject was fast drying up. He took a big swig of wine. “You want this pretty badly, don’t you?”

Kate’s eyes glossed as though shiny shutters had been pulled over them. “I just think it’s an amazing opportunity. For you.”

“Is that right?”

She flushed a little, but her gaze was steady. “Yes, I don’t want you to miss out on Paris because you think you’re too old.”

“And what if I’m happy to stay in Melbourne because we have a good, stable life here and I don’t want you to give up your job or support networks for me?”

Kate tapped a finger on the tabletop. “My job’s notthatgood. And what do you meansupport networks? My shitty family and our intensely awkward Christmases?”

“I mean your friends and derby team and the doctor you’ve been seeing for your ADHD since you were twenty.”

He thought that was a pretty convincing argument, but Kate just rolled her eyes. “I’m sure someone in France has ADHD, Ty. And I can make new friends. I could join aFrenchderby team. They must exist, right?”

Ty stared at her, her gaze bright, her smile wide. She wanted this. Wanted it quite badly. An evil thought occurred to him.What would you do for it, princess?

He could make an indecent proposal. He’d made plenty before. He could walk to where Kate was sitting, grab a fistful of her hair and bend her over the soy-splattered table. Pull up her nightgown and slap her hard on the ass.Listen to me, Katie. Listen and choose the right answer and maybe you won’t get punished.

Only she wouldn’t be sucking his cock for pocket money or letting him fuck her ass for a new car, he’d be making a different kind of deal—marriage for Paris.You want walks through the Louvre and a puppy called Kiwi, baby? Wear daddy’s diamond, and you’ll get whatever you want.

“Ty?” Kate smiled quizzically at him. “What do you think?”

I think you should walk over to the couch and bend over, princess. Daddy has something to ask you.

They stared at each other for a beat, and Ty came close, so close to saying it, then shame rose in his guts like bile. Did he have to use sex to get his girlfriend to marry him? To navigate their shared futures? It was too fucking pathetic. He stood, gathering his bowl and chopsticks. “I’ll think about it, but, like I said, don’t get your hopes up. Want me to clear your plate?”

Kate’s smile didn’t fade. It grew wider the way it always did when she was disappointed. “Sure.”

Chapter 4

The sun was doing its best, but the streets of Brunswick were chilly. Frost glittered on the nature strips, and steam curled in thick clouds from Kate and Rapunzel’s coffee mugs.

“Thanks for coming early,” Rapunzel said. “I can’t be alone when Dede gets here. I will lose my shit. I’ll just fucking die.”

Kate put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. Rapunzel shook beneath her flannel. She gave her a squeeze, trying to push the anxiety out. “It’s fine. Dede and her dad are coming at nine, yeah?”

“I think so.” Rapunzel checked her phone, something she’d been doing every ten seconds since Kate arrived. “Yeah, nine. Nine-ish. Thanks for coming over so fast.”

“Anytime. You know, it’s probably better that Dede is coming early. This way you can get seeing her again over and done with.”

Rapunzel shuddered.

“And you can meet her dad,” Kate continued, determined to find a silver lining. “That’s a nice bonding thing to do.”

“True.” Rapunzel smiled, the expression changing her face from morose to its usual mischievous. “You know Casey’s been stalking Dede on Insta. She says her dad’s hot.”

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